> How is your understanding of main ideas and supporting information tested in the IELTS exam? In the exam, you may need to shaw your understanding of main ideas and supporting information by: + answering short questions + choosing a word from a list + answering multiple choice questions + completing a diagram, a chart or a grid + filling in gaps in a set of notes + summary completion. Exercise 5 [> Read Question 9, Is this question testing main ideas or supporting information? Now listen to Extract 5 and answer the question Answer the questions using NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS. 9) What is the subject of the man’s talk? . Another task that tests your understanding of main ideas is multiple choice. For example, in Question 10 below, you must decide which of the 3 options best sums up what the man says. Listen to Extract 6 and answer the question. Circle the appropriate letter A~C 10 The shoes were designed to ‘A. reduce the pain of marathon running, B increase the athletes’ speed. help old people walk more easily. Exercise 6 [> a The IELTS may use summary completion to test your understanding of supporting details. The words in the summary will give a brief version of what you hear. Read the summary befow. What is the main idea? Underline the words that tell you. What details do you need? Now listen to Extract 7 and answer Questions 11-14. Complete the summary using NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS or A NUMBER Jor each answer. ‘The Flagship of the Royal Fleet The Mary Rose sank in the year 11 .... . «The king stood on the shore and watched her go down. The ship then lay on the sea bed for 12.00: years. In 1982 she was 13 .. .. and brought back to dry land. By analysing the 14. of the ship, scientists believe they are closer to Ieaming why she sank, > Now go to Test 3, Questions 36-40, and try a summary completion task SKILLS FOR IELTS: LISTENING